The controlled positioning of patients is of significant importance in many surgical and convalescence procedures. Pillows or rolls contoured with special shapes have been developed to support a patient in one or more positions on an operating table during and/or after surgery.
In many examples during surgery and/or convalescence, a patient may desire or be required to rest in the face-down, or prone, position or the face-up, or supine, position. It would be desirable to have a pillow to provide comfortable support to the patient in both positions, and one which is cost-effective and disposable with each use to reduce possible patient cross-contamination.
Further problems with pillows or other support devices made of gel or other materials include the inability to readily adjust the height of the pillow according to the needs of various patients to adequately relieve pressure points from the patient contact/position, to readily clean and maintain proper hygienic properties, to prevent slippage of the cushion, sliding of the patient, and so on.